Hi Lydia,
thanks for that update. Just to give a little more context for my message: - In Katherine's email, there was no timeline, but it was the last substantive email. While your response did have some helpful process information, it did not respond to any of the substantive points. That is no accusation, but I just haven't seen any actual action in the past month, in the public space. Maybe I missed it (I didn't see the engagement of Chen that you referred to - so that is very well possible. If anyone is looking for it: it's this edit I presume https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Grants:Conference&type=revision&diff=20412418&oldid=20404630&diffmode=source ?). - As I mentioned before, there is usually a big spike of activities in September, and it's especially demotivating to see that no policy will be available - I had hoped (honestly: expected) that the release "end of August" was referring to when the policy/tool/etc would start, not when the consultation of what such guidance could look like, would start. - I find it hard to keep a constant eye on meta each day, waiting for that feedback page that was promised a month ago to come live.
Maybe these are naive or unrealistic expectations. I really appreciate the good intentions, but I guess what I was hoping for mostly, was more of an ongoing engaging conversation, to arrive at a policy that is not only sensible from a safety perspective, but also practical.
Lodewijk
On Tue, Sep 8, 2020 at 7:13 AM Lydia Hamilton lhamilton@wikimedia.org wrote:
Hi Lodewijk,
As shared previously, an update is forthcoming during the month of September. I struggle a bit with the statement "the last month of silence," when Katherine, Chen, and myself have been in active communication with the community on this topic via either wiki-l or the Conference and Events Grant Meta page [1], all within the last 30 days.
Nonetheless, as I believe you're specifically seeing a deadline, the guidance will be sent by the end of this week.
Kind Regards, Lydia
[1] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Conference
-- *Lydia Hamilton* (she/her) Director of Operations Wikimedia Foundation https://wikimediafoundation.org/
On Tue, Sep 8, 2020 at 3:31 AM effe iets anders effeietsanders@gmail.com wrote:
Hi all,
is there any update on this? Has any progress been made to start a conversation with the community organizers about this?
As an organizer, the months of silence (and the last month of silence) on this are a little saddening.
Thanks, Lodewijk
On Mon, Aug 24, 2020 at 12:24 PM Lydia Hamilton lhamilton@wikimedia.org wrote:
Hi Lodewijk,
Thank you for your feedback. We look forward to the forthcoming September release of detailed guidance that will allow Community members to assess their ability to safely host events and activities during the current pandemic circumstances.
I’d like to respond to some of your comments:
"It looks like your email was written to include a place where you want to gather this feedback."
-- Feedback will be gathered on the guidance Meta talk page, which will reside in the Grants portal.
"I'm assuming we're talking only about local events of limited size (probably a different risk profile applies for larger and/or travel-involved activities)."
-- The guidance will address events of all sizes.
"As an organizer, it is nice to have clarity where possible. Crisp definitions that translate well, are very helpful."
-- Agreed. The guidance will be reviewed for clarity, ease of use and ease of translation.
"I can't imagine an identical set of constraints to apply across countries."
-- The guidance will include a host of assessment criteria that will allow Community members to evaluate the specific characteristics of their proposed event/activity, including location.
"I'm confident that you already reached out to many affiliates to get their input ealy on."
-- Yes. We will be evaluating and testing the guidance with selected affiliates prior to release on Meta.
Kind Regards, Lydia
Lydia Hamilton (she/her) Director of Operations Wikimedia Foundation
On Mon, Aug 24, 2020 at 2:41 PM Anusha Alikhan aalikhan@wikimedia.org wrote:
*From: *effe iets anders effeietsanders@gmail.com *Subject: **Re: [Wikimedia-l] [Covid-19] An update on in-person gatherings* *Date: *August 10, 2020 at 8:43:04 PM EDT *To: *Wikimedia Mailing List wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org *Reply-To: *effeietsanders@gmail.com, Wikimedia Mailing List < wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org>
Thank you Katherine for this update,
I'm much looking forward to a more nuanced policy. I think it is clear that the standing policy (no in-person activities of any size, around the world) is past its expiration date and can't realistically be maintained any longer in its broad interpretation. With the current policy, we're risking people just ignoring it when they feel no legal obligation to follow it.
I hope that we can have an updated policy to provide a little more flexibility sooner than later, even if that means that it is a first phase of making things more nuanced. For example, we could carve out exceptions for countries where there is a clear 'safe' situation (even if we all know this is a very relative thing). Wiki Loves Monuments is about to start, and it would be nice if we could make sure that updates can be considered in the planning as much as possible - especially as this is happening in many different countries, and traditionally mostly outdoors anyway.
It looks like your email was written to include a place where you want to gather this feedback. Did a link go missing?
For what it's worth, I do have some thoughts about such an updated policy, from the viewpoint as someone who would have to comply. I'm assuming we're talking only about local events of limited size (probably a different risk profile applies for larger and/or travel-involved activities). I'm obviously no epidemiologist or public health policy expert, and I suspect many of these are already front and center in your thinking:
- As an organizer, it is nice to have clarity where possible. Crisp
definitions that translate well, are very helpful.
- Given how different the public health situations are around the
world, I can't imagine an identical set of constraints to apply across countries.
- Acceptance is important. For example, I know there are a large number
of countries where the wearing of masks is considered an accepted good practice, while there are other countries where this is seen as counter productive (with a heavier reliance on distance, for example). I know this is a touchy subject in the US
- I wouldn't expect the WMF to interpret each country's public health
policy, at the risk of being always behind. Carving out exceptions for countries that are notorious for not developing responsible policy, seems fair though (although that seems an interesting problem for the communications department...).
- Reduce bureaucracy to a minimum. Some may be needed to help people
through the thinking process, but it's also a deterrent to actually follow the policy.
The balance between simplicity and nuance seems a hard one to strike. A bright line would be great, but that most likely conflicts with the realism. As so many governments are experiencing, it must be terribly complex to strike a right balance between requiring all recommendations to be followed and actually get people to endorse and support such requirements. The WMF only has limited leverage, and I would hate it to see people actively looking for loopholes. Because we both know that if anyone can find them, it's a Wikimedian. I would strongly recommend that the policy is such, that people will want to follow it, even if they don't have to.
I can appreciate the underlying thought pattern that seems to underpin your mentioned focus: help people assess, inform about best practices and suggest alternatives. Those feel like helpful building blocks. I hope that the various communities will share many responsible ways as they get creative with organizing within those guidelines. I'm confident that you already reached out to many affiliates to get their input ealy on.
Warmly, Lodewijk (member of the Wiki Loves Monuments international team, but responding in a personal capacity)
On Fri, Aug 7, 2020 at 2:31 PM Katherine Maher kmaher@wikimedia.org wrote:
Hi all,
If this were a more predictable year, Wikimedians from around the world would be together this weekend at Wikimania Bangkok 2020, in the warm hospitality of our remarkable Wikimedia ESEAP hosts. We’d be preparing for a weekend of inspiring presentations, serendipitous meetings, and fascinating conversations with Wikimedians from dozens of projects, languages, and communities.
I miss these moments of togetherness, and seeing people in person. Even though we’re mostly known as an online community, in-person events have always been part of the fabric of the Wikimedia movement. They are how we have built working partnerships, friendships, and the skills that support these remarkable projects over the years.
In March, I sent messages out to the movement, asking grantees to postpone or cancel their in-person events until the World Health Organization declares the COVID-19 pandemic over. Today, that seems wistfully optimistic -- that we’d have this all wrapped up in six months! As we enter August the COVID-19 pandemic is still with us and seems likely to be part of our lives for some time to come.
*== Safer events guidance ==* As we all learn to adapt and live with this new reality, we at the Foundation want to offer more adaptable support for Wikimedia convenings.
We're already improving support for online events, but as different countries and regions start to offer more flexible guidance for in-person gatherings and travel, we expect to see more community interest for resuming in-person meetings (with appropriate precautions). We want to respond to this interest with tools and resources to help you assess your options, including whether your community can more safely host an in-person Wikimedia event.
We are developing some tools to support your decision-making process, including a risk assessment calculator, to help you evaluate your own situation. *Importantly, this will also include guidance on when not to hold an event.* This tool is developed in a way that should be flexible to use for all community members, regardless of your country and the size of your event.
We’re also creating a checklist of precautions, including resources with tips and suggestions for how to prepare, evaluate, and follow up on any event. Finally, we’re working to create a list of suggested types of events, such as walking tours, photo hunts, and community picnics, all of which can help meet the demand for safer in-person gatherings.
*== Your feedback ==* Living through a global pandemic of this scale is new for all of us -- and the best way to navigate this change is with the support of your community. In that spirit, the events team will start reaching out to affiliate leaders and potential grantees next week for their feedback and advice on these proposed resources. We’re asking for your help shaping these tools to make them as useful as possible for our diverse global community, with all the varied contexts our movement works in.
I look forward to sharing more about these tools, as well as additional information about event support and grants toward the end of August.
Until then, please stay safe and take care -- I look forward to the next time we see each other again.
Katherine
--
Katherine Maher (she/her)
CEO
Wikimedia Foundation https://wikimediafoundation.org/ _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe
Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe <wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>>